Mechanisms and effects of nonverbal communication, presence perception and consumer experience on consumer purchase intention in the live streaming context

Since its emergence in 2016, live streaming has evolved into a novel business model, becoming increasing popular among Chinese customer. Unlike traditional social e-commerce, live streaming uniquely emphasizes consumer needs and interactive relationships, thereby creating a virtual environment that caters to the varied demands of both broadcasters and viewers. Consequently, live streaming has not only established its prominence as a marketing strategy in the era of the traffic economy but also initiated an epoch of unprecedented growth. However, the landscape is changing. With the diminishing Internet traffic dividend, the lack of human and social cues and presence has impeded the development of live streaming. Variations in sales levels of live streaming products across different anchors, along with the impact of live streamers’ characteristics on users’ emotional attachment, have become critical issues. Promoting users’ attachment and trust to enhance purchase intention is essential. Despite significant scholarly attention to online service platforms, the specific context of live streaming’s “face-to-face” service, particularly its psychological and behavioral impacts on consumers, remains under-explored. This oversight underscores the necessity for an in-depth investigation into how live streaming, as an online service scene, affects consumers’ purchase intentions. Addressing this need, the current study integrates foundational theories such as the Stimulus-Organism-Response (SOR) model, field theory, place attachment theory, and consumer behavior theory to construct a comprehensive conceptual framework. The study’s primary objective is to explore the potential positive effects of nonverbal communication, physical presence, and social presence on consumer purchase intentions. Following a survey-based quantitative methodology, online questionnaires were distributed to users with experience in live stream shopping. A total of 677 responses were received, of which 529 were valid. Descriptive analysis and structural equation modeling were conducted through SPSS 26.0 and Smart PLS 3.3 software, respectively, to analyze the response data. The findings indicate that nonverbal communication (i.e., kinesics, proxemics, paralanguage, physical appearance), physical presence, and social presence significantly enhance consumer purchase intentions. These influences are mediated by commercial friendship and place attachment (i.e., place identity and place dependence) and moderated by consumer experience. Incorporating the SOR model, this research posits that live streaming, as an innovative service scenario, significantly impacts user psychology and behavior, thereby contributing to sustainable competitive advantage. From these findings, the study derives valuable insights for both theory and practice. Theoretically, this research is pioneering in its inclusion of the service scene in live streaming studies, thereby broadening the scope and boundaries of existing research. Moreover, it utilizes the SOR theory to examine the interplay between stimuli (nonverbal communication, presence perception), organisms (commercial friendship, place attachment), and responses (consumers’ purchase intentions). This comprehensive empirical testing through structural equation modeling represents a significant advancement in the field of live streaming and consumer purchase intentions. Practically, the study underscores the importance of incorporating social cues in live streaming services, like the anchor’s role, demeanor, physical appearance, and service skills, to strengthen consumer purchase behavior. It also highlights the value of leveraging live streaming scene technologies to attract traffic, foster attachment, and present products in a practical, realistic, and intuitive manner. The ultimate aim is to enhance the quality of the relationship between anchors and consumers, thereby increasing online consumers’ trust, shop attachment, and behavior and intentions. In conclusion, live streaming creates an emotional bond between a company’s e-commerce platform and its consumers, akin to relationships between acquaintances or friends. This bond manifests in consumers’ positive attitudes and behaviors, engendering feelings of camaraderie and enjoyment. Such experiences are crucial in building consumer trust and sustained engagement, which are essential for the long-term success of live streaming platforms.

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